TRANSCRIPT: Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, QB Tom Brady, 10-24-12
Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick – Conference Call – October 24, 2012
(On QB Tom Brady)
“I think Tom works extremely hard and he’s gotten better every day, every game, every year. He works hard at the little things and his game preparation and all that. I think he continues to improve as a player. Each week is a different challenge and there are new things to get ready for with the scheme and the players that we play. He’s very diligent in his preparation. He’s always looking for little things that might provide a little bit of an edge or anticipation or something that can help them during the game.”
(On if there are any similarities between a young Brady and QB Sam Bradford)
“I’ve never coached Sam, but I think Sam’s a very good quarterback just watching him play. Athletic, he can certainly avoid the rush and make plays with his legs. An accurate passer, both short and long. Has a good quick delivery, throws well on the run. Smart guy. Beats coverages well. You can see at times when he has to audible and they have to check with me on a play, that they almost always get the right play. If you show a look, he’s able to take advantage of it.”
(On what their problems have been at the start of the season)
“Right now, we’re not looking too much backwards, we’re just looking forward to the game against St. Louis this Sunday. Whatever happened, happened. Right now, our focus is just trying to prepare and play the very best that we can on Sunday against the Rams.”
(On why they haven’t been able to close games out)
“In the end, we just didn’t play as well as our opponent in those games. They were a little bit better than us. That doesn’t really make any difference at this point. The team we’re playing is not one that we’ve played before. The challenges and the competition against St. Louis is different than any other team we’ve played.”
(On why they are waiting until Thursday to travel to London)
“We just thought it would be the best way for us to prepare and travel.”
(On their no-huddle offense)
“The no-huddle offense has been around for a long time in football. We’ve used it at different times for different percentages, I would say, since I’ve been here. I’ve been with the Patriots since 2000. It’s part of our offense. Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don’t. We’re comfortable in it. Sometimes, we feel like it gives us an advantage and other times we feel like we’re better off huddling up and calling a play in the huddle and take a little more time to run the play or whatever the reasons are in that particular play or situation.”
(On the success of their no-huddle offense)
“Like I said, we’ve been running the no-huddle here since I’ve been here for 13 years. In one word, we’re able to communicate what we need to communicate. That’s basically the way that we’ve used it.”
(On what keeps him motivated to keep coaching)
“I enjoy what I’m doing. I love the game of football and all of the things that it brings. I like every aspect of coaching. At the beginning where you have free agency and sign players from other teams and draft players and put together your roster in the team-building part of it in the spring. Bringing new players on to your team, kind of starting over, and taking guys who have no experience in the NFL and working with them on their fundamentals. Each of them becomes a professional athlete and football player and playing in our system. The training camps and the weekly preparation for games, the actual games themselves, the strategy and matching up with other great teams and great coaches that are also well-prepared and play at a very high level. It’s a great level of competition. I enjoy all parts of it. Like I said, putting the team together, working with the players, game planning and game day, the challenges that it brings. The day-late practices when we have an opportunity to improve our team. Different drills and things we do on the practice field.”
(On the team’s leadership)
“Tom, certainly, is a good example. I think we have a lot of good leadership on our team. Players that have been here and playing quarterback is one thing, but there are other positions and they bring other challenges. It’s a lot different playing offensive line or defensive line or linebacker than it is to be a quarterback. We have a lot of veteran leaders who have good work ethic and will go about their jobs in the right way and are very professional. What each player does isn’t the same. The requirements are different, so players can learn from, not just a player like Tom – although you can certainly learn from Tom – from other players that are at their position or are in similar situations. We can’t really point to one guy. We try to point out all the positive things. Preparations, training, game planning, so forth.”
(On the AFC East)
“Obviously, it’s a very competitive division. We’ve played two of the teams and those were very hard-fought games and I’m sure Miami will be as well. It’s the way it usually is in this division. Teams are very competitive, they’re all tough games. I’m sure we’ll be able to hold at the end, but right now, we’re not really concerned about that. We’re just trying to get ready for St. Louis.”
(On the importance of the London game)
“Every game is important. Nobody is going to be eliminated after this week. Of course, it’s an important game. It’s one of 16, but the season won’t be decided by this game.”
(On if the NFL could have a franchise outside of the United States)
“I have no idea. I’m just trying to coach this team. I don’t have any idea what the (demand) is for NFL football around the world, I really don’t. I’m just trying to coach the New England Patriots.”
(On what the obstacles would be to having a franchise outside of the U.S.)
“I have no idea. We’re just trying to prepare for the St. Louis Rams. We’re excited about the opportunity to play in London. That question is for somebody that knows a lot more about the world situation and league affairs than I do. I’m just trying to run a team.”
(On Brady’s football intelligence and throwing skills)
“All of those, yeah. His strong mechanics, his accuracy, his preparation, his ability to make quick decisions when he has the latitude to change plays. To make the right decisions on what play to run at the line of scrimmage or to get us out of a bad play if we have a bad play called against a certain defensive look. All those things. His job is to manage the offensive football team and it’s not just to throw the ball or find a receiver. There’s a lot of other things involved in his job and he does them all well.”
(On how evident it was that there was something special about Brady when he became the starter)
“I think in that particular season, it was about that season. When Tom got hurt in the Pittsburgh game in the AFC championship, it was a short week. It wasn’t a two-week Super Bowl. We had to make a decision as to whether he would be able to play in the Super Bowl or what his condition was. When he was healthy enough, then that made the decision that out of both players, that’s the guy we went with. Tom and myself and every other player would tell you that you’ve got to prove yourself in this league every year. Just because you have one good year doesn’t mean that you’re going to do anything the next year. I don’t think you rest on your laurels or you really prove anything from the year before, you have to go out and establish it every season, and he’s done that.”
(On the advantages of having played in London before)
“I think we certainly have a good feel for the facilities, where everything’s located and all that, our time management and so forth. We had to make an adjustment to the time change, getting back into our routine and our schedule and all that. The fact that we’ve done it before gives us a little bit of a barometer as to what some of the needs are and maybe what some of the harder things were for us and what some of the easier things were in the last trip. Overall, I think that we’ve done a pretty good job of trying to understand the logistics and certainly we’ve had a lot of cooperation from the people on the London end and the people in our organization that have worked to make a smooth trip. I think it’ll be fine. It really worked out fine last time. There are some hurdles to get over, but everybody’s worked hard to bring it together and I think it should be a smooth operation.”
Patriots QB Tom Brady – Conference Call – October 24, 2012
(On how far he’s come in his career since upsetting the Rams in 2001 and how much further he wants to go in his career)
“Well, it was a long time ago, but it doesn’t feel like a long time ago. I think, life has really seemed to, kind of, sped up. That was a great time for myself and our team and what we accomplished as a team was very special. I still have really special bonds and feelings with those guys that I played with that were a part of that team. I’m really excited about this week and having the chance to play the Rams in London. I think that’s what I’m excited about. I’m trying to stay focused on what I need to do this season to be the best quarterback that I can be for our team. So, there’s not too much reflection for me that goes on at this point in the season.”
(On what else he wants to accomplish in his career)
“I would love to beat the Rams this weekend. That would be my No. 1 accomplishment going forward.”
(On how much different he is as a quarterback since leading the Patriots over the Rams in 2001)
“Well, certainly, I’ve played in a lot of football games. I’ve had a lot of experience with different players, and schemes and coaches. So, hopefully I’ve learned a few things from those experiences in the past. Back then, I tried to work really hard at what I do and I still try to do that and I try to be the best teammate that I can be. I don’t think any of those things have really changed. So, I love playing football. I love playing quarterback for the Patriots. It’ll be fun for me to play for my second time in London against a very good Ram team.”
(On if the Patriots are experiencing a hangover since losing in Super Bowl XLVI)
“Well, I think you always have to move on from the previous season. There’s nothing you can really do to change what happened. I try to really think about what we’ve done this year and what we can accomplish this year. Part of the mental toughness that you need to have as an athlete is to put whatever’s happened behind you and to move on. We as a team, this is a different version of the Patriots. This is a 2012 version. We’re off to a, not a great start this year, but this would be a lot of fun to go into London and play against a very good team and to play really well and really establish our own kind of tradition for this year.”
(On how long it took him to get over the Super Bowl loss)
“Well, you always, in your mind, think about games that you lost and that you wish could’ve done better in. I think that’s part of the learning experience that those are part of the experiences that you reflect on and that’ll hopefully make you a better player. Sometimes, you have to experience very difficult defeats and challenges to move forward and to be better at what you’re doing. I don’t think you ever get over really important losses – those are always stuck in your mind. But at the same time you don’t let it affect what’s going on moving forward, so that’s basically how I feel.”
(On if he thinks the team showed a lack of composure in their narrow defeats this season)
“I’m not sure. We’re only going halfway through the year, so we haven’t really had a half season to digest really what we’ve been doing. We’ve been a bit inconsistent in our performance, I would say. The attitude of the team, we’ve worked hard, we’ve been prepared for the games, but we just haven’t performed to the way that, I think, we’re all capable of performing. So, this would be a great time to really start playing that way because we’re going to need to against a Ram team that can challenge us in a bunch of different ways.”
(On if he’s concerned that he won’t be able to duplicate the successes of past seasons)
“Well, the best part is we actually have something that we can do about that. You can sit here and talk about it all you want, but we as players have an opportunity to create our own destiny. Just because I can sit here and talk and say, ‘We can win every game,’ that doesn’t mean anything. What means something is to go out there and actually do it and that’s still to be decided. I think that’s the challenge that we as players have, is to go out there and try to take advantage of a great opportunity. When you’re playing this game and when you’re on a team that has very talented players, has a very good work ethic and attitude, we’re going to have a chance. We just have to go out there and perform better than we played over the early part of this season.”
(On impressions that he took from the last time in London concerning his experience in the city and playing an NFL game there)
“Sure. Well, yes, it was a great experience the last time and I think the fans were loud. They were screaming the whole game. So, it seems like we got great support there. Last time we had an opportunity to practice there on Friday at this famous cricket stadium, which was a lot of fun. I don’t think we’re doing that this particular trip. Although the experiences were memorable for us players, certainly to go over there and win, that’s the best part about the trip because as much fun as it could possibly be, you still have to go out there and do your job. Our job is to go out there and try to win a football game. There’s chances for vacations to London and trips to London and sightseeing, but I don’t think this is that particular trip. That’ll come in the offseason. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to be on those trips where I’ve enjoyed the city and all the culture and the beauty of the city and I’ve always really enjoyed that. It’s really a great city.”
(On what kind of crowd he’s expecting on Sunday considering the Rams are the home team)
“Yes, they are. I’m not sure. We’re prepared for some crowd noise. I do remember there was just a lot of appreciation from the fans. They got loud at times, so they were definitely cheering. I’m not sure if they were cheering for us or against us. But definitely some noise.”
(On his familiarity and impressions of QB Sam Bradford)
“Well, I’ve never really had a chance to have much time to speak with Sam. I’ve watched him, and I think he’s a very good player from what I’ve seen. (Patriots Offensive Coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) really enjoyed working with Sam. I know how hard he works and how tough Sam is. I know he fought really hard through an ankle injury last year. He’s in his third year and I have a lot of respect for the guys that play this position and that work hard at it because I know how challenging it is to do.”
(On the importance of Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick in his career and if he thinks he would have had as much success if he weren’t the head coach)
“Well, he’s the only coach I’ve ever really had professionally, and he’s the only coach I ever want to play for. We have a great relationship and there’s nobody that works harder at his job than Coach Belichick and what he brings to our team in terms of preparation every single week, and the commitment that he makes to the team is exceptional. We as players appreciate him and respect him and we trust that he’s always doing what’s in the best interest of the team. It’s not an easy program to play for. I think he has high expectations and there’s always pressure on the players to perform, whether it’s in practice and, certainly, always in the games. He has a lot of respect for the players that he coaches and he coaches us hard, but we are very confident that we have an incredible coach.”
(On equating his level of fame in England and attempt to evangelize his sport in England to that of David Beckham in the United States)
“Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t put much thought into that. I love doing my job. I love playing football and I love being the quarterback of this team and I know there’s a lot of other things that come along with that. I’ve been able to experience some really great things in my life due to that, but I still feel very much like the same kid that grew up with three older sisters pestering them and two loving parents. A lot of the things that I’ve been able to experience come along with doing my job and I try to do it as best as I can.”
(On if he thinks it’s important for the NFL to spread football globally and if there should be more international games)
“Well, it’s a great experience for the players. I hope that the fans in England really enjoy the game. We certainly do here in America. I know it’s a very popular sport. Everybody around the United States has a team they root for. Hopefully the fans in England root for us as it makes, hopefully, the most logical sense. I know how much they love soccer and their love for the game there. I don’t think anything’s going to really get in the way of their rooting interest in their favorite soccer team – or futbol team - or whatever you guys want to choose to call that. I’m confused.”
(On the Patriots’ no-huddle offense this season)
“Yes, well, I think there’s a lot of teams that are doing that now. I think that we really got into it last season quite a bit with just a lot of the communication happening outside of the huddle and trying to put a lot of pressure on the defense by moving fast and making them figure out how to cover us or to guard us against the run in a very quick manner. So, the more time that they have to figure out what we’re doing or to digest the information that we’ve shown them on the play, then they’re going to be able to make those plays. So, we try to constantly put pressure on the defense by making them align and show us what they’re doing so that our plays have the most success.”
(On reasons for the Patriots’ poor fourth quarter performances this season)
“I think that there’s no doubt that we’ve struggled to close out a few games. There’s a few games that we did close out, which is good. The truth is, we haven’t been consistent enough in all aspects of the game over the course of 60 minutes and our record reflects that. So, I don’t think it’s just the fourth quarter. We’ve been inconsistent in other quarters as well. We played the Arizona Cardinals in the second week of the season, had a great fourth quarter, but we couldn’t pull out the win. We had a terrible first two quarters. So, our goal is, really, to play great for four quarters and to do that. Then we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and our team that we’ll be able to win those close games and I hope that we’re able to do that this weekend.”
(On how close he came to signing a contract to the Montreal Expos and where he thinks he would’ve been if he did sign with the Expos)
“Well, I never really ended up…let me see, did I entertain it? I guess I thought about it for about a day, but I loved playing football and I loved the team nature of football. I played baseball a lot growing up and certainly love that sport – love the fact that the Giants are in the World Series again. That was the team that I grew up watching. I thought it was great to be drafted and have the opportunity to do that, but in the end, my heart was with football.”
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Rams – Packers Injury Report Wednesday-Friday, October 17-19, 2012
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Danny Amendola WR Shoulder Limited
Mario Haggan LB Thigh DNP
Wayne Hunter T Back DNP
Eugene Sims DE Knee DNP
Rodger Saffold T Knee DNP
Chris Givens WR Illness DNP
Matt Conrath DT Knee Limited
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Sterling Moore CB Knee Limited
Sebastian Vollmer T Back/Knee Limited
Wes Welker WR Ankle Limited
Kyle Love DT Knee Full
Brandon Bolden RB Knee DNP
Ras-I Dowling CB Thigh DNP
Steve Gregory S Hip DNP
Jerod Mayo LB Illness/Elbow DNP
Trevor Scott DE Hamstring DNP
Tracy White LB Foot DNP
Ron Brace DT Back Limited
Patrick Chung S Shoulder Limited
Julian Edelman WR Hand Limited
Rob Gronkowski TE Hip Limited
Aaron Hernandez TE Ankle Limited
Dont'a Hightower LB Hamstring Limited
Brandon Lloyd WR Knee Limited
Logan Mankins G Calf/Hip Limited
Nick McDonald OL Shoulder Limited
Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick – Conference Call – October 24, 2012
(On QB Tom Brady)
“I think Tom works extremely hard and he’s gotten better every day, every game, every year. He works hard at the little things and his game preparation and all that. I think he continues to improve as a player. Each week is a different challenge and there are new things to get ready for with the scheme and the players that we play. He’s very diligent in his preparation. He’s always looking for little things that might provide a little bit of an edge or anticipation or something that can help them during the game.”
(On if there are any similarities between a young Brady and QB Sam Bradford)
“I’ve never coached Sam, but I think Sam’s a very good quarterback just watching him play. Athletic, he can certainly avoid the rush and make plays with his legs. An accurate passer, both short and long. Has a good quick delivery, throws well on the run. Smart guy. Beats coverages well. You can see at times when he has to audible and they have to check with me on a play, that they almost always get the right play. If you show a look, he’s able to take advantage of it.”
(On what their problems have been at the start of the season)
“Right now, we’re not looking too much backwards, we’re just looking forward to the game against St. Louis this Sunday. Whatever happened, happened. Right now, our focus is just trying to prepare and play the very best that we can on Sunday against the Rams.”
(On why they haven’t been able to close games out)
“In the end, we just didn’t play as well as our opponent in those games. They were a little bit better than us. That doesn’t really make any difference at this point. The team we’re playing is not one that we’ve played before. The challenges and the competition against St. Louis is different than any other team we’ve played.”
(On why they are waiting until Thursday to travel to London)
“We just thought it would be the best way for us to prepare and travel.”
(On their no-huddle offense)
“The no-huddle offense has been around for a long time in football. We’ve used it at different times for different percentages, I would say, since I’ve been here. I’ve been with the Patriots since 2000. It’s part of our offense. Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don’t. We’re comfortable in it. Sometimes, we feel like it gives us an advantage and other times we feel like we’re better off huddling up and calling a play in the huddle and take a little more time to run the play or whatever the reasons are in that particular play or situation.”
(On the success of their no-huddle offense)
“Like I said, we’ve been running the no-huddle here since I’ve been here for 13 years. In one word, we’re able to communicate what we need to communicate. That’s basically the way that we’ve used it.”
(On what keeps him motivated to keep coaching)
“I enjoy what I’m doing. I love the game of football and all of the things that it brings. I like every aspect of coaching. At the beginning where you have free agency and sign players from other teams and draft players and put together your roster in the team-building part of it in the spring. Bringing new players on to your team, kind of starting over, and taking guys who have no experience in the NFL and working with them on their fundamentals. Each of them becomes a professional athlete and football player and playing in our system. The training camps and the weekly preparation for games, the actual games themselves, the strategy and matching up with other great teams and great coaches that are also well-prepared and play at a very high level. It’s a great level of competition. I enjoy all parts of it. Like I said, putting the team together, working with the players, game planning and game day, the challenges that it brings. The day-late practices when we have an opportunity to improve our team. Different drills and things we do on the practice field.”
(On the team’s leadership)
“Tom, certainly, is a good example. I think we have a lot of good leadership on our team. Players that have been here and playing quarterback is one thing, but there are other positions and they bring other challenges. It’s a lot different playing offensive line or defensive line or linebacker than it is to be a quarterback. We have a lot of veteran leaders who have good work ethic and will go about their jobs in the right way and are very professional. What each player does isn’t the same. The requirements are different, so players can learn from, not just a player like Tom – although you can certainly learn from Tom – from other players that are at their position or are in similar situations. We can’t really point to one guy. We try to point out all the positive things. Preparations, training, game planning, so forth.”
(On the AFC East)
“Obviously, it’s a very competitive division. We’ve played two of the teams and those were very hard-fought games and I’m sure Miami will be as well. It’s the way it usually is in this division. Teams are very competitive, they’re all tough games. I’m sure we’ll be able to hold at the end, but right now, we’re not really concerned about that. We’re just trying to get ready for St. Louis.”
(On the importance of the London game)
“Every game is important. Nobody is going to be eliminated after this week. Of course, it’s an important game. It’s one of 16, but the season won’t be decided by this game.”
(On if the NFL could have a franchise outside of the United States)
“I have no idea. I’m just trying to coach this team. I don’t have any idea what the (demand) is for NFL football around the world, I really don’t. I’m just trying to coach the New England Patriots.”
(On what the obstacles would be to having a franchise outside of the U.S.)
“I have no idea. We’re just trying to prepare for the St. Louis Rams. We’re excited about the opportunity to play in London. That question is for somebody that knows a lot more about the world situation and league affairs than I do. I’m just trying to run a team.”
(On Brady’s football intelligence and throwing skills)
“All of those, yeah. His strong mechanics, his accuracy, his preparation, his ability to make quick decisions when he has the latitude to change plays. To make the right decisions on what play to run at the line of scrimmage or to get us out of a bad play if we have a bad play called against a certain defensive look. All those things. His job is to manage the offensive football team and it’s not just to throw the ball or find a receiver. There’s a lot of other things involved in his job and he does them all well.”
(On how evident it was that there was something special about Brady when he became the starter)
“I think in that particular season, it was about that season. When Tom got hurt in the Pittsburgh game in the AFC championship, it was a short week. It wasn’t a two-week Super Bowl. We had to make a decision as to whether he would be able to play in the Super Bowl or what his condition was. When he was healthy enough, then that made the decision that out of both players, that’s the guy we went with. Tom and myself and every other player would tell you that you’ve got to prove yourself in this league every year. Just because you have one good year doesn’t mean that you’re going to do anything the next year. I don’t think you rest on your laurels or you really prove anything from the year before, you have to go out and establish it every season, and he’s done that.”
(On the advantages of having played in London before)
“I think we certainly have a good feel for the facilities, where everything’s located and all that, our time management and so forth. We had to make an adjustment to the time change, getting back into our routine and our schedule and all that. The fact that we’ve done it before gives us a little bit of a barometer as to what some of the needs are and maybe what some of the harder things were for us and what some of the easier things were in the last trip. Overall, I think that we’ve done a pretty good job of trying to understand the logistics and certainly we’ve had a lot of cooperation from the people on the London end and the people in our organization that have worked to make a smooth trip. I think it’ll be fine. It really worked out fine last time. There are some hurdles to get over, but everybody’s worked hard to bring it together and I think it should be a smooth operation.”
Patriots QB Tom Brady – Conference Call – October 24, 2012
(On how far he’s come in his career since upsetting the Rams in 2001 and how much further he wants to go in his career)
“Well, it was a long time ago, but it doesn’t feel like a long time ago. I think, life has really seemed to, kind of, sped up. That was a great time for myself and our team and what we accomplished as a team was very special. I still have really special bonds and feelings with those guys that I played with that were a part of that team. I’m really excited about this week and having the chance to play the Rams in London. I think that’s what I’m excited about. I’m trying to stay focused on what I need to do this season to be the best quarterback that I can be for our team. So, there’s not too much reflection for me that goes on at this point in the season.”
(On what else he wants to accomplish in his career)
“I would love to beat the Rams this weekend. That would be my No. 1 accomplishment going forward.”
(On how much different he is as a quarterback since leading the Patriots over the Rams in 2001)
“Well, certainly, I’ve played in a lot of football games. I’ve had a lot of experience with different players, and schemes and coaches. So, hopefully I’ve learned a few things from those experiences in the past. Back then, I tried to work really hard at what I do and I still try to do that and I try to be the best teammate that I can be. I don’t think any of those things have really changed. So, I love playing football. I love playing quarterback for the Patriots. It’ll be fun for me to play for my second time in London against a very good Ram team.”
(On if the Patriots are experiencing a hangover since losing in Super Bowl XLVI)
“Well, I think you always have to move on from the previous season. There’s nothing you can really do to change what happened. I try to really think about what we’ve done this year and what we can accomplish this year. Part of the mental toughness that you need to have as an athlete is to put whatever’s happened behind you and to move on. We as a team, this is a different version of the Patriots. This is a 2012 version. We’re off to a, not a great start this year, but this would be a lot of fun to go into London and play against a very good team and to play really well and really establish our own kind of tradition for this year.”
(On how long it took him to get over the Super Bowl loss)
“Well, you always, in your mind, think about games that you lost and that you wish could’ve done better in. I think that’s part of the learning experience that those are part of the experiences that you reflect on and that’ll hopefully make you a better player. Sometimes, you have to experience very difficult defeats and challenges to move forward and to be better at what you’re doing. I don’t think you ever get over really important losses – those are always stuck in your mind. But at the same time you don’t let it affect what’s going on moving forward, so that’s basically how I feel.”
(On if he thinks the team showed a lack of composure in their narrow defeats this season)
“I’m not sure. We’re only going halfway through the year, so we haven’t really had a half season to digest really what we’ve been doing. We’ve been a bit inconsistent in our performance, I would say. The attitude of the team, we’ve worked hard, we’ve been prepared for the games, but we just haven’t performed to the way that, I think, we’re all capable of performing. So, this would be a great time to really start playing that way because we’re going to need to against a Ram team that can challenge us in a bunch of different ways.”
(On if he’s concerned that he won’t be able to duplicate the successes of past seasons)
“Well, the best part is we actually have something that we can do about that. You can sit here and talk about it all you want, but we as players have an opportunity to create our own destiny. Just because I can sit here and talk and say, ‘We can win every game,’ that doesn’t mean anything. What means something is to go out there and actually do it and that’s still to be decided. I think that’s the challenge that we as players have, is to go out there and try to take advantage of a great opportunity. When you’re playing this game and when you’re on a team that has very talented players, has a very good work ethic and attitude, we’re going to have a chance. We just have to go out there and perform better than we played over the early part of this season.”
(On impressions that he took from the last time in London concerning his experience in the city and playing an NFL game there)
“Sure. Well, yes, it was a great experience the last time and I think the fans were loud. They were screaming the whole game. So, it seems like we got great support there. Last time we had an opportunity to practice there on Friday at this famous cricket stadium, which was a lot of fun. I don’t think we’re doing that this particular trip. Although the experiences were memorable for us players, certainly to go over there and win, that’s the best part about the trip because as much fun as it could possibly be, you still have to go out there and do your job. Our job is to go out there and try to win a football game. There’s chances for vacations to London and trips to London and sightseeing, but I don’t think this is that particular trip. That’ll come in the offseason. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to be on those trips where I’ve enjoyed the city and all the culture and the beauty of the city and I’ve always really enjoyed that. It’s really a great city.”
(On what kind of crowd he’s expecting on Sunday considering the Rams are the home team)
“Yes, they are. I’m not sure. We’re prepared for some crowd noise. I do remember there was just a lot of appreciation from the fans. They got loud at times, so they were definitely cheering. I’m not sure if they were cheering for us or against us. But definitely some noise.”
(On his familiarity and impressions of QB Sam Bradford)
“Well, I’ve never really had a chance to have much time to speak with Sam. I’ve watched him, and I think he’s a very good player from what I’ve seen. (Patriots Offensive Coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) really enjoyed working with Sam. I know how hard he works and how tough Sam is. I know he fought really hard through an ankle injury last year. He’s in his third year and I have a lot of respect for the guys that play this position and that work hard at it because I know how challenging it is to do.”
(On the importance of Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick in his career and if he thinks he would have had as much success if he weren’t the head coach)
“Well, he’s the only coach I’ve ever really had professionally, and he’s the only coach I ever want to play for. We have a great relationship and there’s nobody that works harder at his job than Coach Belichick and what he brings to our team in terms of preparation every single week, and the commitment that he makes to the team is exceptional. We as players appreciate him and respect him and we trust that he’s always doing what’s in the best interest of the team. It’s not an easy program to play for. I think he has high expectations and there’s always pressure on the players to perform, whether it’s in practice and, certainly, always in the games. He has a lot of respect for the players that he coaches and he coaches us hard, but we are very confident that we have an incredible coach.”
(On equating his level of fame in England and attempt to evangelize his sport in England to that of David Beckham in the United States)
“Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t put much thought into that. I love doing my job. I love playing football and I love being the quarterback of this team and I know there’s a lot of other things that come along with that. I’ve been able to experience some really great things in my life due to that, but I still feel very much like the same kid that grew up with three older sisters pestering them and two loving parents. A lot of the things that I’ve been able to experience come along with doing my job and I try to do it as best as I can.”
(On if he thinks it’s important for the NFL to spread football globally and if there should be more international games)
“Well, it’s a great experience for the players. I hope that the fans in England really enjoy the game. We certainly do here in America. I know it’s a very popular sport. Everybody around the United States has a team they root for. Hopefully the fans in England root for us as it makes, hopefully, the most logical sense. I know how much they love soccer and their love for the game there. I don’t think anything’s going to really get in the way of their rooting interest in their favorite soccer team – or futbol team - or whatever you guys want to choose to call that. I’m confused.”
(On the Patriots’ no-huddle offense this season)
“Yes, well, I think there’s a lot of teams that are doing that now. I think that we really got into it last season quite a bit with just a lot of the communication happening outside of the huddle and trying to put a lot of pressure on the defense by moving fast and making them figure out how to cover us or to guard us against the run in a very quick manner. So, the more time that they have to figure out what we’re doing or to digest the information that we’ve shown them on the play, then they’re going to be able to make those plays. So, we try to constantly put pressure on the defense by making them align and show us what they’re doing so that our plays have the most success.”
(On reasons for the Patriots’ poor fourth quarter performances this season)
“I think that there’s no doubt that we’ve struggled to close out a few games. There’s a few games that we did close out, which is good. The truth is, we haven’t been consistent enough in all aspects of the game over the course of 60 minutes and our record reflects that. So, I don’t think it’s just the fourth quarter. We’ve been inconsistent in other quarters as well. We played the Arizona Cardinals in the second week of the season, had a great fourth quarter, but we couldn’t pull out the win. We had a terrible first two quarters. So, our goal is, really, to play great for four quarters and to do that. Then we have a lot of confidence in ourselves and our team that we’ll be able to win those close games and I hope that we’re able to do that this weekend.”
(On how close he came to signing a contract to the Montreal Expos and where he thinks he would’ve been if he did sign with the Expos)
“Well, I never really ended up…let me see, did I entertain it? I guess I thought about it for about a day, but I loved playing football and I loved the team nature of football. I played baseball a lot growing up and certainly love that sport – love the fact that the Giants are in the World Series again. That was the team that I grew up watching. I thought it was great to be drafted and have the opportunity to do that, but in the end, my heart was with football.”
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Rams – Packers Injury Report Wednesday-Friday, October 17-19, 2012
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Danny Amendola WR Shoulder Limited
Mario Haggan LB Thigh DNP
Wayne Hunter T Back DNP
Eugene Sims DE Knee DNP
Rodger Saffold T Knee DNP
Chris Givens WR Illness DNP
Matt Conrath DT Knee Limited
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Player Pos Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Status
Sterling Moore CB Knee Limited
Sebastian Vollmer T Back/Knee Limited
Wes Welker WR Ankle Limited
Kyle Love DT Knee Full
Brandon Bolden RB Knee DNP
Ras-I Dowling CB Thigh DNP
Steve Gregory S Hip DNP
Jerod Mayo LB Illness/Elbow DNP
Trevor Scott DE Hamstring DNP
Tracy White LB Foot DNP
Ron Brace DT Back Limited
Patrick Chung S Shoulder Limited
Julian Edelman WR Hand Limited
Rob Gronkowski TE Hip Limited
Aaron Hernandez TE Ankle Limited
Dont'a Hightower LB Hamstring Limited
Brandon Lloyd WR Knee Limited
Logan Mankins G Calf/Hip Limited
Nick McDonald OL Shoulder Limited